The board of directors of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), whose mission is to honor the fallen, tell the story of American law enforcement, and make it safer for those who serve, presented the winners of their annual awards in the categories of Distinguished Service, Lifetime Achievement and Excellence in Media.
The awards were formally presented to the winners at a special reception on the National Mall in advance of the NLEOMF 37th Annual Candlelight Vigil, which honored the 24,412 officers killed in the line of duty whose names are engraved on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial at 444 E St. NW in Washington, D.C.
During the vigil, which was attended by thousands of members of the law enforcement community, survivors of the fallen, and the general public, the 345 officers whose names were most recently engraved on the Memorial in April were specifically recognized as their names were read aloud by national law enforcement and federal leaders.
The NLEOMF Board Awards program recognizes exceptional achievements in the law enforcement profession as well as brings awareness to both law enforcement professionals and the general public about extraordinary law enforcement achievements.
“Our national awards program is essential to creating public awareness of important law enforcement accomplishments that lead to greater engagement between the law enforcement profession and the communities they serve,” said Lori Sharpe Day, chair of the board of NLEOMF.
The 2024 winners are:
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Chief Tom Manger
- John Ashcroft Distinguished Service Award: Craig Floyd
- Excellence in Media Award: Lexipol / Police1 Magazine
More on each winner:
Tom Manger
Chief J. Thomas Manger (ret.) was appointed as the chief of the United States Capitol Police in July 2021. Chief Manger served 45 years in the policing profession, including more than two decades as chief of police for three of the largest police agencies in the National Capital Region. He was chief of police in Montgomery County, Maryland, from 2004 to 2019 and previously served as the police chief in Fairfax County, Virginia, from 1998 to 2004.
His leadership in regional law enforcement initiatives is extensive. After graduating from the University of Maryland, Chief Manger began his law enforcement career in January 1977, when he was sworn in as a Fairfax County police officer. He rose through the ranks to become chief of police. He received numerous awards in Fairfax County, including the Silver Medal of Valor in 1993.
During his time as a police chief, Chief Manger received several national awards, including the 2007 Law Enforcement Award from the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, the 2016 Gorowitz Institute Service Award from the Anti-Defamation League, the 2018 FBI National Executive Institute Associates Penrith Award, the 2019 Major Cities Chiefs Leadership Award and the 2022 William H. Webster Profiles in Leadership Award for Federal Law Enforcement. Chief Manger was also inducted into the Montgomery County Human Rights Hall of Fame in 2012.
Elected by his peers to national leadership positions, Chief Manger served from 2014 to 2018 as president of the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA), and from 2013 to 2017 as vice president of the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF).
Craig Floyd
Craig W. Floyd is the founder and president of Citizens Behind the Badge (CBB), a nonprofit advocacy organization formed in 2020 to end the disastrous “defund and defame the police” movement and ensure that our nation’s law enforcement professionals receive the support and resources needed to keep America safe.
Floyd is also the founding chief executive officer emeritus of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), a nonprofit organization established in 1984 to honor the service and sacrifice of America’s law enforcement officers. He retired from the Memorial Fund at the end of December 2018.
Under his leadership, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial was built and dedicated in October 1991. Today, that monument stands proudly in our nation’s capital as a richly deserved tribute to America’s peace officers. More than 24,000 fallen law enforcement heroes have their names inscribed on that Memorial, dating back to the first documented fatality in 1786.
The Memorial Fund was successful in obtaining Congressional approval of a public law authorizing the establishment of the National Law Enforcement Museum on federal land adjacent to the Memorial. Floyd led the 20-year campaign to build the Museum, which opened in October of 2018 and, along with the Memorial, has become an American treasure.
Lexipol
Lexipol’s Police1 is the leading online destination for law enforcement professionals. With award-winning journalism, expert-driven training content and in-depth product coverage, Police1 delivers the information and insights officers need to stay safe, informed and prepared whether they are on or off duty. From breaking news to tactical analysis, Police1 is the trusted voice of the profession.
As part of its ongoing commitment to elevating the law enforcement community, Police1 recently released its annual What Cops Want in 2025 report — featuring insights from more than 1,200 officers on the future of policing, the current safety crisis and what they need to succeed.
